


Hidden Gem

by atomicmayo



Series: Dewmie Fictober 2019 Fills [13]
Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Beaches, Body Image, Boyfriends, Confessions, Established Relationship, Fluff, Gem/Human Hybrids (Steven Universe), M/M, Post-Episode s05e29-32 Change Your Mind, Swimming
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-13
Updated: 2019-10-13
Packaged: 2020-12-16 18:37:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 886
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21040883
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/atomicmayo/pseuds/atomicmayo
Summary: From the Fictober 2019 prompt: "I never knew it could be this way." Corruption has been cured! The Earth is full of gems! Let's all go for a swim!





	Hidden Gem

Bill stood at the edge of the waves and crunched up his toes in the sand pensively. He and Jamie were on a far end of the beach. A ways down, they could see different bodies all playing in or near the water in the remaining sunlight - big, little, various colors. Alien, human.

"I never knew it could be this way," Bill stared out at the mingling crowd in the distance and placed a hand over his stomach, covered with his favorite white t-shirt with blue-capped sleeves and collar.

"It's amazing, isn't it?" Jamie glimpsed over his shoulder at Bill and smiled. He had already ditched his shirt and started to wade in, leaning into the waves. 

"The world is becoming such a different place - a better one, I think!"

Bill smiled himself, just a little sadly, and replied, "I think you're right. It's all done! The suffering is over now. Time to party! Go for a swim," he chuckled. There was something ambiguous in his tone Jamie couldn't place. Jamie opted for flirtatiousness to keep the conversation cheerful.

"Yes," Jamie walked back toward him and grabbed Bill's free hand, "go for a swim," he repeated, smiling. Bill looked down at the the thumb grazing the top of his knuckles. His other hand tightened over his stomach, fingertips digging into the fabric of his t-shirt a little. Jamie glanced down.

"Hey, it’s fine if you want to keep your shirt on and go in, y'know. I have stuff about my body image I'm self-conscious about, too," he reflexively twitched his nose.

"That’s not it - but for what it's worth, I like your nose!" Bill replied. They smiled at each other for a beat, but Bill soon turned his back, still staring out at the crowd in the distance, "it’s just… well, I guess it doesn’t matter now."

"What doesn’t?"

Bill inhaled deeply and gripped the ends of his t-shirt as he began, "that thing I said the other day about getting sunburned easily?" 

He could hear the confusion in Jamie's voice without having to turn around. "Yeah?" 

"I was lying," Bill admitted, exhaling - and slipped the shirt over his head and added, "force of habit. Sorry about that."

Jamie found himself staring at Bill's back. He had expected a pasty, fishbelly white, but Bill’s skin was completely pink. Bill now held his t-shirt in one hand and remained with the other covering his stomach, his back still turned.

"I don't understand. I don't remember ever seeing you walking around much with your shirt off, and yet that looks like quite the sunburn" Jamie mused, venturing forward to lightly brush his fingertips against spot just near Bill's shoulder blade. Instead of recoiling in pain, Bill shivered at the touch and laughed, looking over his shoulder. 

"No, Jamie it isn't a sunburn!" he sounded amused, strangely patient, "It'll become clearer in a second. I just... need to work up the nerve."

"Take your time, but I've got some sunscreen over on the towel if you..." 

Bill had turned around and slowly dropped his hand from his stomach. He had no belly button. 

Jamie looked down at the square-shaped gem that was there instead, framed with one or two small scars, and then up into Bill's face. He did this two or three times. Bill waited with a drop of sweat at his brow, hands clenched up at his sides. They still stood with Jamie just barely in the water, remnants of the occasional wave just beginning to wash past Bill's feet. The tide was coming in.

"You aren't sunburned all the time," Jamie said flatly. Bill nodded.

"I'm just-- just," he tried until Jamie finished it for him.

"Pink. And if you took your shirt off people would see," Jamie tapped his own stomach and trailed off. Bill nodded again.

"No belly button," Bill finally replied weakly. He glanced down at it and stared off to the side, avoiding Jamie's face. Jamie wandered closer and touched him again, running a hand from his chest down to his stomach, lingering near a small gash of dark pink.

"Do the scars hurt?" Jamie asked softly.

"Not often. They're old," he replied.

"Good. I have a very important question for you now," Jamie said, tone gentle, but intense. He looked into Bill's eyes. Bill gulped.

"I'm ready. Ask me."

Jamie started to wrap his arms around Bill's neck, "Bill?"

"Yes, Jamie?"

"How do you have nipples but no belly button?"

They both burst out laughing. Bill slipped his arms around Jamie's waist.

"You don't--" he said through a combination of laughter and relief, "you don't find it strange or _disgusting_..."

"The gem? No! I mean, I have questions, of course, but - are you still the same Billiam Dewey?"

"Yes!"

"Then I'm fine with this! And the questions can wait unless you want to talk about it now - I can see this was hard for you to even show me."

"Thank you. And it can stay just between us for the moment? Buck doesn't even know, I mean, he _kind of_ does, but not exactly, it's complicated," Bill winced, rubbing a spot on Jamie's hip with his thumb as he tried to think.

Jamie hummed his agreement as he kissed Bill and then said, "just between us, the sun and the sea."

**Author's Note:**

> *shouting at you with a conspiracy theory corkboard* I'm Just Ronaldo At This Point Don't Mind Me.


End file.
